カオナシ Kaonashi (Faceless)
by rainingsun2811
Summary: Kaonashi: "Faceless." That is the way to describe Tanaka Yūgure, a Kunoichi forgotten by almost all her peers, silently protecting those she holds most dear. One Change is all it takes, one different decision is all that is needed to cause mountains to move, and for love to be found. Kakashi/OFC


CHAPTER 1

 _Why are you taking us here?_ Was the thought that permeated the three people walking behind and around Uchiha Sasuke. Grey, green and blue eyes all expectantly watching him, waiting for an answer they all knew they weren't getting. The boy's onyx eyes were locked forward, his mouth clamped shut. All he knew was that it wasn't his fault Naruto and Sakura didn't think to get basic supplies before coming to training.

"Sasuke where is this place? I know we're out of supplies but still," the blond-haired blue-eyed boy on his left said, Uzumaki Naruto, said, as he walked next to the raven-haired youth. Their expressions currently matched, both mouths turned down.

Haruno Sakura hummed in agreeance. "Yeah, why go all the way out here?" She said, not understanding why they all couldn't go to one of the other shops nearer to the training grounds. In response, all the pair got a withering glare causing Hatake Kakashi to smile slightly, _the impatience of youth._ He thought. _Great now I sound Like Gai._

The buildings slowly got emptier and emptier as they all approached their destination a small shop in the middle of a small shopping center, a small garden out front, and an apartment up top. Sasuke's form visibly stiffened. He had suggested the place to go without thinking, the name of the shop tumbling out of his mouth out of instinct, rolling off his tongue. _Of course, it had to be there, Kami why did I say there._ Sasuke thought. _It's not like they need to know her, we could just tun back._

 _Tanaka's Clothing and Seals,_ a small piece of himself tucked away near the old Uchiha district, and the last fragment of his family left untainted. The only place that held their memories that wasn't empty and barren with the stench of blood and death permeating the room. The last breathing piece of his mother he had to himself, even if _he_ had been here it was only brief instances no longer than the beat of a butterfly's wing, never caring too much for clothing or material things. He had suggested the place to go without thinking, the name of the shop tumbling out of his mouth out of instinct, rolling off his tongue. _Of course, it had to be here, Kami why did I say here._ He thought.

He knew these clothes, the fabric work, the dye, and the smell of lavender that permeated the air. He remembered hiding behind his mother's skirt as she talked to the younger woman at the back of the store, the same woman there now, measuring a Konoha-nin for better fitting clothing, brown hair hanging in front of her mature, yet youthful, face. He knew her form from the various times she ate over at the house with his parents, her shoulder length hair falling in her face as she laughed. Her ruffling his hair while smiling and laughing as she helped him perfect his shuriken technique, causing an indignant blush to appear on his face. He remembered the soft green chakra that came when she healed his scrapes and bruises, the strange seals covering her pale arms. Her signature dark green kimono going down to her knees over her black leggings and mesh underlayment, her Konohagakure headband hanging around her neck and red Jonin armband on her right arm.

He could still hear his mother's laughter as the two chatted with her eventual embarrassment ending with her familiar _stop teasing me Mikoto-sensei!_

 _It's just too easy Yūgure-chan!_ His mother would reply.

"Welcome to Tanaka's, I'll be with you shortly!" She said as she checked out the random shinobi, writing down the measurements and the estimate. Her voice hadn't changed in the months since he last visited the shop.

Sasuke knew she would be working today, she always did her best to work on the weekends when she wasn't on missions or at the hospital. Always letting him know that she would be out and one of her parents would be working instead. She still had the same outfit as back then, but her kind, grey eyes were a little harder and were now closer to the shade of the multiple kunai hidden on and in her person. His breath seemed stuck in his throat, her chakra flaring and welcoming his presence.

Kakashi's instincts went on high alert, _I know that chakra signature_. He thought his eyes narrowed _but from where?_

"Yūgure-nee?" Sasuke's voice was tense, he knew it was selfish to want to shove the others, including Kakashi, out, to go to the very back of the store and read over the various scrolls and books full of ninjutsu and fūinjutsu techniques he knew Yūgure had stashed away, to feel her hands ruffle his hair and be able to _breathe_ for the first time since he joined his new team in the past few weeks. But, he also knew that the morons he was stuck on a team with needed supplies and that she would just pester him about his new teammates and sensei later if he didn't come now.

Her head shot up instantly, a wide grin on her face. "Sasu-kun! I'm so glad to see you," she said as she pinched his cheeks and engulfed him in a bone crushing hug. Her eyes briefly flickering to the group that followed him in, grey eyes clashed. Her's widened in recognition, and then caught glimpse of the blonde and pinkette next to him. Her features softened.

"Don't call me that," Sasuke said annoyance written on his face along with a faint blush if one looked close enough. Naruto snickered in the background, Sakura's face turned as pink as her hair in sympathy and Hatake Kakashi's single exposed eyebrow raised in surprise.

The room was bright and open, the glass facing the front of the store was one-way and tinted, going from the ceiling to the honey-colored bamboo floors. The walls were a neutral grey with different designs he recognized as security seals covering them. Various kimonos, shirts, and other clothes off towards the front with weaponry towards the back where the checkout counter was. Behind that was a door leading to a back office of some kind.

She ignored his request and continued. "How's my Otōto doing, eh? I know you're a Genin now, so you must be careful, especially since you're so inexperienced." Yūgure said placing a hand on his forehead, running what Kakashi recognized as some form of Diagnostic Jutsu. Her delicate features knitted in concern. "Everything seems okay, and you have been eating correctly, sticking to the diet I gave you?" She asked taking a quick breath as he nodded affirmatively. Only then did she seem to acknowledge the others behind the young Uchiha. Her smiled widened at their expressions, and she bowed. "I apologize for my rudeness my name is Tanaka Yūgure, I'm an old friend of Sasuke's family. How may I help you Hatake-san?"

 _Ah, that's her name!_ Kakashi thought."It's quite alright Tanaka-san, I'm Sasuke's sensei and these are his teammates Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura. These two," he said placing a hand on their heads, "needed supplies and Sasuke kindly led us to your shop." Kakashi said, lifting his hands off his students' heads, and rubbing his hand on the back of his neck sheepishly.

Sakura bowed gracefully, with a sweet smile on her face, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tanaka-san! You can call me Sakura!"

"It's nice to meet you Yūgure-nee-chan! Just call me Naruto," Naruto said and then squawked indignantly. "Hey, you're the one who's always late, Kakashi-sensei, 'ttebayo!"

"Idiot, you're the one who needs to keep up with his stuff," Sasuke said a small smirk on his face.

Sakura snickered in response.

Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed, "you're no better." The pinkette then physically deflated, and on and on the arguing went until Yūgure's voice interrupted them.

"Well Sasu-kun, you know where everything is, take what all of you need if you have any questions just ask." She said, "Oh, and before I forget, don't worry about the price it's on the house this time!" The three bowed quickly and shot to the back of the store.

Kakashi's studied her, out of the corner of his eye, his instincts going haywire as he observed her behavior. He took in her scent, she smelled of ink and sandalwood. The more he watched the more confused he got, he knew that scent, a faint memory scratching at the peripherals of his mind. The chakra, as well. He knew he had been on missions with her before _, but which ones?_ He thought, _and with a last name that generic why not just use your first name?_ He was pulled out of his thoughts by her voice. Delicate, yet plain, features watching his.

"Is there anything you needed Hatake-san?"

"Ah, no," he said sheepishly, "but thank you very much for the help Tanaka-san, that was very generous of you."

"You're welcome," she replied and softly added, "they're both so much like their mother's, Naruto-kun and Sasu-kun, nee?"

His single exposed eye widened in shock, and before he could reply all three of his kids came rushing forward, giving thanks, and dragging him back to the training grounds.


End file.
